Post-retirement life expectancy for people in the UK is now lower than previously expected, according to the Office of National Statistics(ONS.)
Life expectancy at age 65 in 2012 has been projected as 18.3 years for men and 20.6 years for women on average. This has signaled a decline on life expectancy trends over the past two years, the ONS found.
In 2008 life expectancy post 65 was 19 years for men on average and 21.3 years for women on average. In 2010 it was 18.7 for men and 21.1 for women.
However, the population of the UK is projected to continue ageing with the number of people aged 80 and over in the UK to more than double to 6 million by mid-2037.
The long term mortality assumption for the UK projects life expectancy at birth to be 84 years for men and 87.3 years for women in 2037.
Richard Willets, director of longevity at Partnership questioned whether the figures were a "blip" or a "trend."
He said: "The recent life expectancy estimates reflect the relatively high death rates we have seen during 2012 and 2013 which were attributed to influenza and low temperatures by a Public Health England Report published in August.
"Today's ONS Population Projection effectively assumes that the stall in life expectancy improvement is a ‘blip' and the longer term trend is unaffected. Projected period life expectancy in 2026-27 is virtually unchanged from the previous ONS publication.
"Have we have been over optimistic about life expectancy in the UK? Or is this simply a plateau and we will see a return to growth in years to come?"
